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There’s a lot to talk about when it comes to Belly and Conrad’s breakup at prom, but no visual stands out more than Belly’s prom dress from The Summer I Turned Pretty covered in rain and tears as she and Conrad go their separate ways and end their seemingly perfect summer romance.
The Summer I Turned Pretty is a coming-of-age romantic drama series based on author Jenny Han’s book series of the same name. Han, who also wrote the To All the Boys book series which inspired Netflix’s movies of the same title, is also the creator and an executive producer on The Summer I Turned Pretty series. The Summer I Turned Pretty follows Isabel “Belly” Conklin, the series’ narrator and protagonist, and her love triangle with brothers Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher, the sons of Belly’s mother Laurel Park’s best friend Susannah Fisher.
In an interview with Collider in 2022, Han explained how she approached her own novels for television. “I approached it like, what do I think are the most important elements of the story to keep? And what do the fans care the most about?” she said. “I am able to pull from all the emails, letters, and comments I’ve seen over the years from fans, so that’s how we looked at this adaptation. What do the original fans care most about? And then, also for me, what’s going to be most like fun and exciting to explore? Because I think as a writer, you have to feel like you’re doing something new in a way, too. That it’s not going to be just the exact same thing, but what’s the new approach? And how do I make this feel fresh?”
She also told the site about how she took her own book writing process to writing The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s screenplay. “I think that in my novel-writing life, I don’t outline, and it’s very intuitive for me,” she said. “Picture it like I am going through a forest blindfolded, and I’m feeling my way through, and I know where the finish point is, but it’s kind of like, how am I getting there? I also don’t write in order and I kind of see it when it’s like 85 percent, 90 percnt there, then everything comes into focus for me. I often picture like, I’m Iron Man. It was like click, click, click, all the pieces are coming together. That’s how I see the story, and suddenly it becomes clear to me.”
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 adapted Belly and Conrad’s dramatic breakup from It’s Not Summer Without You. While the scene is known for several moments, including the end of Belly and Conrad (at least for now), there’s nothing more iconic than Belly’s rain and tear-soaked lavender prom dress as she and Conrad go their separate ways. Read on for where to buy Belly’s prom dress from The Summer I Turned Pretty (sans the tears.)
Where to buy Belly’s prom dress from The Summer I Turned Pretty?
Where can fans buy Belly’s prom dress from The Summer I Turned Pretty? Belly’s exact prom dress from The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 hasn’t been confirmed, however, Amazon has listed several near-identical look-alikes in its Summer I Turned Pretty storefront. Read on for where to buy similar gowns to Belly’s prom dress from The Summer I Turned Pretty.
DRESSTELLS Lavender Formal Dress
DRESTELL’s lavender formal dress
is one of the closest look-alikes to Belly’s prom look. The dress features floral lace and chiffon details, as well as a zipper closure and adjustable straps. The gown also comes in more than 15 colors, though, of course, lavender is the closest if you want to look like Belly. “Love this dress it’s so flattering because it is flowy around your stomach and it has the sweetheart neckline. I absolutely love it and will wear it again when I have the chance to dress up. Worth the money for sure,” wrote one reviewer in 2023.
Ever-Pretty Women’s Sequin Evening Gown
For a dress just as detailed as Belly’s, look no further than Ever-Pretty’s women’s sequin evening gown
. The dress features a V-neck, short ruffle sleeves, and sparkle embroidery, as well as comes in seven colors, including haze blue, orchid and burgundy—though lavender is the most authentic to Belly’s prom dress from The Summer I Turned Pretty. With an average four star review from more than 1,000 ratings, you can’t go wrong.
“Loved this dress from the moment I put it on. So flattering and well designed,” wrote one reviewer in 2023. “I bought it for a performance at a Faery Festival, and it was just perfect for an outdoor event in the botanical gardens. My waist looks small, my breasts look large, and my hips look sleek. Lots of gorgeous thule in just the right places to kick out when I walk.”
Meetjen Lavender Prom Dress
Simple but sleek is how reviewers describe Meetjan’s lavender prom dress
. The gown features lace chiffon details, a zipper closure and is the perfect mix of elegant while still lightweight, stretchy and breathable. The gown also comes in eight colors, including blush, champagne, and royal blue, though lavender is the most similar to Belly’s prom dress from The Summer I Turned Pretty.
“I was so impressed with this dress. It was absolutely beautiful and exactly what I needed for my event. I didn’t have very high expectations where it only cost me $40, but it definitely exceeded those expectations!” wrote one reviewer in 2023.
ZESICA Women’s Summer Bohemian Maxi Dress
ZESICA’s women’s summer bohemian maxi dress is the casual alternative to Belly’s prom gown from The Summer I Turned Pretty. The gown features tie straps, a shirred bodice, a unique square neckline, subtle swiss dot prints, and a tulle maxi skirt. The fabric is also described as soft and skin friendly. The dress comes in nine colors, including ivory, midnight blue and rose, though purple is the closest to Belly’s prom dress from The Summer I Turned Pretty.
“I absolutely love this dress! It is super comfortable, flowy, and the top is very stretchy (I probably could have sized down if I really wanted to). The colour is just as pictured too! Will definitely be getting a Couple more,” wrote one reviewer in 2023.
For more fashion inspired by The Summer I Turned Pretty, check out Amazon’s show-themed storefront.
What does Belly’s fashion mean on The Summer I Turned Pretty?
What does Belly’s fashion mean on The Summer I Turned Pretty? In an interview with the Teen Vogue in 2023, Lola Tung, who plays Belly, explained how her personal style is different from her character’s. “I do think we are a little bit different,” she said. “She grew up on the beach and that definitely influenced her summer style. She’s always in flip flops, and I lean towards sneakers more. She [Belly] wears a lot of pretty floral outfits and a lot of tank tops and shorts. I feel like I opt for a simpler color palette..neutrals, but I love a fun pop of color.”
Tung explained that her personal style is more inspired by her childhood growing up in New York City. “I grew up in New York City, so I’ve always been surrounded by creative people who express themselves through fashion,” she said. “My mom always encouraged me to do that and to wear what I love to wear and what makes me feel confident. And she’s passed down a lot of her clothing that she kept to me, which has definitely influenced my style.”
Tung also described Belly’s style as “beachy” and “laid back” in an interview with Cosmopolitan in 2023. “Belly has a very beachy, sort of laid-back but cute and pretty style. She spends a lot of time on the beach, obviously, and I would love to see her in a denim corset with baggy jeans,” she said. “I would love to see her do sort of, like, a fashion moment like that. That would be so cool, just because I think it would be super fun and something different and I love a denim-on-denim moment. I do think she has a really beautiful wardrobe and a lot of very pretty pieces that she wears, especially in this next season. So it’d be cool to see something with a little bit of edge.”
Christopher Briney, who plays Conrad, described his character’s style to Cosmopolitan as more formal than his brother, Jeremiah’s. “Conrad stays in shorts, a T-shirt, and a flannel. Like, a little button down,” he said. “I think if I was gonna throw something at him, I’d love to throw him like a cargo or just some sort of straight-fit pants. I’d like to see if he enjoys that or not. But that’s for me to him. I know he’s all about a casual button-down.”
As for Gavin Casalegno, who plays Jeremiah, he described his character’s style in The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 as much more “mature” than Season 1. “In season two, Jeremiah is maturing a lot, and he has matured a lot since season one,” he said. “I think what will kind of coincide with the growth of his character are the polos. I think the polos are kind of more, you know, they’re on the beach, I think it just represents their family and their economic situation as well. A nice polo going to a college is kind of where Jeremiah is at.”
Will there be a Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3?
Will there be a Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3? The answer is likely. Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty book series is a trilogy with three books: 2009’s The Summer I Turned Pretty
; 2010’s It’s Not Summer Without You
; and 2011’s We’ll Always Have Summer
. While The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 hasn’t been confirmed yet, it’s expected that there will be a third season for the third book.
Han also confirmed in an interview on CBS Mornings in 2023 that The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 hasn’t been officially confirmed due to the Writer’s Guild Strike. “I hope so. We can’t until the Writer’s Strike. I hope that the studios will come back to the table and negotiate, and we can get back to work,” she said. “I think everyone wants to get back to work, including me.”
As for what The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 could be about, the third season will likely see Belly make her final choice between Jeremiah and Conrad, according to the publisher’s description for It’s Not Summer Without You. “Belly has only ever been in love with two boys, both with the last name Fisher. And after being with Jeremiah for the last two years, she’s almost positive he is her soul mate. Almost,” the publisher’s description reads. “While Conrad has not gotten over the mistake of letting Belly go, Jeremiah has always known that Belly is the girl for him. So when Belly and Jeremiah decide to make things forever, Conrad realizes that it’s now or never—tell Belly he loves her, or lose her for good. Belly will have to confront her feelings for Jeremiah and Conrad and face the inevitable: She will have to break one of their hearts.”
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 is available to stream on Prime Video. Here’s how to watch it for free.
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